Why do some British people stop talking to me after I say I am from Taiwian?
Posted by search_google_com@reddit | AskABrit | View on Reddit | 266 comments
I'm living in UK now. People who approached to me sometimes asked if I'm a Japanese or sometimes asked if I'm a Korean. I said I am from Taiwan.
Then, they said "I need a Japanese friend" "I want to leave UK for Japan" "I'm learning Korean." "I am a K - POP / drama fan."
, and then they do not continue talking to me.
Is this because people don't know about Taiwan? I could see the disappointments on their faces, and then awkward atmosphere, which makes me embarrassed.
They could ask me about Taiwan. Instead, they literally stopped talking to me. Isn't this rude ? I didn't expect this level of ignorance because those people.
Don't get me wrong. These are the only unpleasant interactions with British peoeple so far. Since I moved to UK, I have been impressed that British people are generally nice and kind. I am still blown away whenever guys hold the door or help carry the heavy stuffs on the stairs as well as ask which button to push in the lift. Guys here are also very gentle.
Rude_Rhubarb1880@reddit
Average UK person has zero views on Taiwan and knows nothing about the country
So to be polite they simply say the most relevant thing they can think of which is about a nearby country.
Then they never mention where you are from again because TBH it doesn’t matter
Don’t be concerned. British people don’t always randomly talk to each other
It has nothing to do with you being Taiwanese
GnaphaliumUliginosum@reddit
However, both Japan and Korea have had a cultural impact in the UK and there will be some people who are obsessed with anime or K-pop or something and are hoping to be able to talk about that, or perhaps practice their novice language skills. I knew a teenager who was teaching herself Korean in suburbia and would probably have loved to be able to try it out on a Korean person.
But yes, people probably don't mean to be rude, but if you wish, you could follow up with an interesting fact about Taiwan to share, such as 'No, I'm not from Japan, I'm from Taiwan, which is South of Japan and where all the microchips in your smartphone are manufactured.' (not sure if the last bit is technically true as I'm as ignorant as the next Brit). This gives an opening for them to ask a further question about the issue you have raised - without any added information, most folks will be thinking 'I know nothing about Taiwan, I can't think of a follow up question, this is awkward I'll just move on'. Or don't it's not your responsibility to make others feel comfortable about their ignorance.
Glad you are mostly enjoying your time here, hope this continues for you.
Wide-Landscape-3348@reddit
Wow you've just taught me how to make conversation
09xuereba@reddit
If your not great at conversation i was in sales for years and there are lots of tricks we used to "force" people into a chat or keep someone talking without it feeling forced.
If someone is wearing a band shirt and you ask "do you like metllica" they can reply yes or no but there isnt oppurtunity to follow up. "What sort of music does metticalla play" gives them a chance to share something with you. Have you seen them live? No. End of convo. "Whats the last gig you went to" they need a sentence to answer.
-follow up with empathy and info about you that may have commen ground on or an ooppertunity for them to educate you. "Ah i dont get to see many gigs, its been a couple years" if ypu have something in there reply in common, "im exactly the same, id love to go more but the kids keep me busy, what about you?" Your finding commen ground, showing somone understanding and giving them an oppertunity to provide further info about themselves.
A lot of people find sales skills really sleezy but its a lot like plastic surgery, the people who are good at it.... you dont notice them, its the over the top, over done ones you spot.
A lot of people hear sales and feel slimey or gross but all good sales is being able to keep someone talking long enough to find out if what you have is something they need. There are a ton of levels to it.
Sales is an amazing skill to hone and comes in usefull all the time.
DavitoDaCosta@reddit
"Oh, you're from Taiwan, I've got some kitchen appliances from there" probably doesn't cut it tbh
Otherwise_Leadership@reddit
Good comment. I also reckon you could safely say, “Taiwan is where ALL the microchips are made”. And maybe add, “We’re the Chinese who left the abusive relationship”, or something along those lines.
Maus_Sveti@reddit
Yeah, I’m originally from NZ and people frequently say things like “oh, I have a cousin who lives in Australia”, “I backpacked around Australia in the 90s” etc., and that’s from a country with a lot higher profile in the UK than Taiwan.
CredibleSquirrel@reddit
When I meet people from NZ I often say "Ah - New Zealand - the thinking man's Australia!" loudly.
This works particularly well if there are Australians within earshot.
CrikeyAphrodite@reddit
I’m Australian, and this got my upvote.
CredibleSquirrel@reddit
Thank you. This has restored my faith in Australians.
Dutch_Slim@reddit
I never realised NZ is missing from so many maps!
Some of my family emigrated to Christchurch from East London.
…just bringing it back into balance 😉
AdZealousideal2075@reddit
I assume you know about r/mapswithoutnz
JoshClarke@reddit
I didn’t. That’s hilarious. Thank you for sharing 😭
EasyPriority8724@reddit
I was just gonna post that when I seen you got there first.
Dutch_Slim@reddit
Indeed I do 😁
Independent-Chair-27@reddit
I have NZ and Aus relatives. The way Id tell them apart is the accents sound similar, Ausssies say their vowels as I expect Kiwis don't.
Honestly It's many UK peoples dream to visit NZ. It's so far away though. Surprised you see this, I'm always interested in NZ.
EasyPriority8724@reddit
Been there done that married a Maori lived between Scotland and NZ divorced her and I'm never going back to NZ while she still breathes!
JensonInterceptor@reddit
Oh I knew a 2 married couples who two them cheated with each other and ran off to NZ to escape raising 4 children
Basteir@reddit
It takes a village.
Weird1Intrepid@reddit
...to run away from a child?
Basteir@reddit
I thought they meant those two couples ended up in some kind of 4 person relationship, and ran away and raised their collective children together.
Littleleicesterfoxy@reddit
It may be that some Brits are worried that’s the one that China is refusing to get out of and be worried they’re going to upset you.
Newburyrat@reddit
Yes plus some embarrassment about oh did I seem racist because I can’t tell the difference between different East Asian people, better go into shutdown mode to avoid further offence
XihuanNi-6784@reddit
Many get confused with Thailand because the start of the name is the same. My ex was from Taiwan and many people kept mixing up Taiwan and Thailand.
Littleleicesterfoxy@reddit
Basically yes
methrequest1985@reddit
The average UK person? Where did you get your information?!
Key_Consequence_4727@reddit
It’s true. Most brits dont know anything about Asia and Asian politics, even if it seems like common sense (I’m from HK). Dont take it personally
getoutmywayatonce@reddit
Totally agreed with not taking it personally. I’ve had similar experiences as a native Brit where people don’t even seem to have heard of the names of numerous countries let alone having ANY information about the general region, no matter how basic. I mean as simplistic and broad as knowing that by landmass Russia is absolutely freaking huge, that Africa is a continent not a country, that dialects of Spanish are widely spoken throughout South American countries. That kind of level of general knowledge…
It doesn’t make sense to me as our state curriculum includes a decent amount of information about the world, and not only in geography. Even if the knowledge is lacking people should at least try to have the conversational skills to ask a normal question, rather than just sauntering off.
Any-Establishment-99@reddit
Little understood countries: also see Moldova, Jordan, etc. Would you not say, eg, oh k-pop is also popular in Taiwan; or Taiwan and Japan are a 5 hr flight apart … If you want to have a conversation, that is…
PlusLetterhead3459@reddit
All we know about Taiwan in the UK is that it’s where all our toys came from as a child
shaunoffshotgun@reddit
People in the UK generally know less about Taiwan. As to why they start talking to you about Japan and Korea, maybe just ignorance.
xTrustMe@reddit
Konnichiwa
Scared-One9295@reddit
Hai
SheilaBirling1@reddit
nani ga suki??
ExpressAffect3262@reddit
Not really ignorance, really depends on OPs age and who they are talking to.
K-Pop is very popular with kids/teens etc.
I can't see OP walking into Greggs, talking to a 42 year old woman, and them saying "I can't wait to move to Japan, I love K-Pop so much!".
Frosty_Lion4580@reddit
I think you gave just met some very dumb, rude people.
SchoolForSedition@reddit
They probably just have nothing to say.
katy_perry_is_a_twat@reddit
Awww. So sweet.
FeDUpGraduate87@reddit
That is odd... I'd ask the usual question.
What brings you to the UK from Taiwan?
MessyMountain@reddit
You can spot these people a mile off if you are born in the west
HalastersCompass@reddit
Taiwan, Croydon? Yeh I'd cross the street if you were that borough.....
crankyandhangry@reddit
Yes, that is extremely rude and demeaning. It sounds like they just want a Japanese/Korean friend and then walk away when you aren't "useful" to them. That is incredibly mean-spirited of them. I don't think most British people are like that, but you've met some especially bad ones.
In my experience, a lot of British people are quite shy; most would think it's rude to walk up to a stranger and start a conversation because it would come across as too forward or entitled. The kind of people who walk up to strangers and ask them where they're from are probably never going to be the kind of people you want to be friend with. I'm hopeful that you'll meet some nicer people soon.
ApprehensiveCarpet2@reddit
I love nVidia products!
AlternativeLie9486@reddit
I don’t think most British people have any strong feelings about Taiwanese people at all.
gggggenegenie@reddit
Hello. I used to live in Macau and got to meet many Taiwanese folks who, came over (to gamble mainly!) Taiwan is a country I would love to visit, as I never got the chance to. My daughter is hoping to spend her year abroad from uni in Taiwan next year. My favourite restaurant in Macau was called Top Taipei, and they did the best tuna I've ever had.
If we were to ever meet, I'd love to chat about Taiwan with you!
Alydariel@reddit
I work with a lovely Taiwanese lady, where she's from has never been an issue, I guess we don't know much about your lovely country and don't want to appear ignorant, I know she is fiercely passionate about her home! I think we are just more familiar with Japan and some Brits get confused that Taiwan is an independent country. Hopefully I will be able to visit one day!
Inevitable-Band1631@reddit
On Big Brother Jade Goody said "Cambridge is that near London". There is a lot if british people who have not idea where things are in Britain let alone the rest of the world.
Icy_Oil_1024@reddit
British folk know less about Taiwan than other countries. I’d imagine it’s more a case of running out of things to say than having any ill feeling towards you.
sinkh0000le@reddit
Because anime and kpop are cool, therefore the 'superior' Asian.
Drawnforlorn@reddit
Unless you're a cool asian like a Korean or Japanese you're just a foreigner. Hey could be worse, if you were brown or black people might assume you're a misogynist, illegal immigrant, or some other stereotype.
Reasonable-Delay4740@reddit
There’s an underground cult for Japanese and Korean culture in younger people especially.
I wonder what’s happening here. Is it like a blind date where they find out their match is actually black and all of a sudden the emperor has no clothes? Or it that they’re only mildly aware of Taiwan and it’s in their head like you just told them you're Palest…
spinachmuncher@reddit
Maybe youre boring.
moo00ose@reddit
I’d say it’s just a few select people possibly? My coworker is Taiwanese and I didn’t think twice about that
Rameshk_k@reddit
I wouldn’t be worrying about it, as some of them are clueless about geography or have never gone far away from their home. If they are approaching you only because they want someone from Japan, they are just selfish, low-lives who don’t care about anything but themselves.
You will definitely meet lots of nice people here. Be patient and try to meet new people; don’t be put off by a few idiots.
triangle8791@reddit
This is just rude behaviour, unfortunately there are many socially stunted individuals roaming around.
I wouldn't feel personally embarrassed as you've done nothing wrong!
I would say the average Brit knows more about Korea or Japan due to being exposed through dramas and anime etc. A lot of people as a result have a somewhat fairytale view of these places.
Taiwan is only really discussed in the context of cross-strait relations and the semiconductor industry, with this only happening in the last 3 or so years.
Anyways I hope this helps out 台灣人, ㄅㄅ。
Putrid-Storage-9827@reddit
Good job dodging the weebs and Koreaboos, OP.
Normal people will just be nice to you wherever you're from.
ConfidentCarpet4595@reddit
The most common type of conversation you’re likely to encounter is probably along the lines of “ oh I love Thai food” or “is that the one where nobody likes the king or the one where everyone loves the king, I remember reading something about it somewhere years ago but I can’t recall the details”
CatEmbarrassed3306@reddit
Should have gone to the US.
SnoopyLupus@reddit
What I say “Oh? Nice!”
What I’m thinking “I wish I knew stuff about Taiwan so I could not sound like an idiot!”
ffsnametaken@reddit
"The capital is Taipei....that's probably not enough to go on."
thegamingbacklog@reddit
The taipei 101 is one of the tallest buildings in the world and has a huge heavy ball at the top to help reduce movement during high winds.
Learned that one from artemis fowl
pollrobots@reddit
They invented bubble tea
jungleddd@reddit
They manufacture the vast majority of the world’s computer chips.
bobdvb@reddit
I love watching Asianometry videos on YouTube
Help_My_Face@reddit
I know one thing, I confuse it with Thailand a lot.
koloqial@reddit
I think a lot of people do.
Numerous-Painter6179@reddit
What?
AwTomorrow@reddit
Thailand is a Southeast Asian kingdom that was never colonised, surrounded by places that were.
Taiwan is a mountainous island in East Asia that officially still claims to be the real China, just temporarily limited to one province while the Communist upstarts continue to rule the rest of them.
They have the same first syllable and are both in the far East, but that’s about it for similarities. Thailand doesn’t have the constant China connection.
GoblinTatties@reddit
I've been to both and they are wildly different. Maybe looking up some photos would help you tell the difference.
Glittering_Notice_74@reddit
It’s this, sorry about us
SnoopyLupus@reddit
Yuh. I’m not proud of it!
Mindless_Ad_6045@reddit
You're hanging around some strange people
Azuras-Becky@reddit
I think more people in the UK are aware of Taiwan('s existence) these days simply because of the control Taiwan has over the global economy these days thanks to its domination of the microprocessor industry.
I don't think any regular person in the UK has any particular knowledge or feelings about Taiwan besides that, however, and I can't think of any reason why someone would stop talking to you after learning where you're from. The UK has had a lot of adversarial relationships with a lot of places over the centuries, but Taiwan was never really one of them. I genuinely don't know why you'd been singled out for that. Most people I know would be curious and ask you what Taiwan was like, if anything.
Any_Listen_7306@reddit
And when I was a kid so much stuff was "made in Taiwan" - that was back in the 80s!
InflationMeme@reddit
Was also once a byword for cheap crap. Early eisode of Red Dwarf has a joke where Talkie Toaster turns out to be "made in Taiwan" and the audience laugh. That joke wouldn't land today, because Taiwan makes much better stuff than we do.
Any_Listen_7306@reddit
Yeah I was gonna say that but didn't want to offend anyone - it was cheap plastic toys I noticed as a kid.
Colourful-Cloud@reddit
Yeah, loads of toys were stamped with "made in Taiwan" when I was a kid, 70s/80s. If I met someone from Taiwan (who could speak English) I'd be asking them all about their country because it would be interesting. I guess quite a lot of bits don't know much (or anything) about Taiwan.
TerrySwan69@reddit
I don't think any regular person in the UK even knows that much.
Monklips@reddit
I don't think enough Brits or people in general understand just how significant Taiwan is with it's semiconductor exports. If China took control of Taiwan, they immediately control 90% of the most advanced semiconductors and 60% of the rest. Which means no tech for anyone. No weapons. No computers. Nothing. It's end game.
lavayuki@reddit
That’s really strange.
To be honest I know a lot about Japan having lived there, and Korea because of all the dramas/skincare/kpop etc all over the place, but I know nothing about Taiwan. That would never stop me from making friends though, I don’t have any Taiwanese friends but that is because I never met a Taiwanese person in the UK. I had a few classmates when I was in Japan and they were really nice.
It’s a strange thing and to be honest, not normal, for someone to refuse to speak to you because you’re Taiwanese. Those people are in the ignorant idiot category of people that populate the land.
bugra101@reddit
Average Brit will think Taiwan is same as Thailand because everyone knows Thailand and its reputation.
JoshClarke@reddit
I’d like to know more about Taiwan!
eggpotion@reddit
Wtf?
qualityvote2@reddit
Hello u/search_google_com! Welcome to r/AskABrit!
For other users, does this post fit the subreddit?
If so, upvote this comment!
Otherwise, downvote this comment!
And if it does break the rules, downvote this comment and report this post!
AppropriateDeal1034@reddit
Yeah it does.
RepulsiveHead6544@reddit
And does absolutely not fit Google
simmyawardwinner@reddit
sorry to hear that. i think youve come across some rude and racist / closeminded people who are looking at asian people as only 'worth knowing' if they tick some sort of box for them like k-pop or japan. ignore those people and keep being you. theres many many (majority) of people in the UK who apreciate all cultures. my friend married a guy who was from taiwan. i also had a childhood friend from taiwan! xxx
danmingothemandingo@reddit
Isn't it officially called the Republic of China? (for those who don't know, I'm serious, not trolling - this is different to the people's Republic)
Majestic_Rhubarb_@reddit
My ex’s father was from Taiwan … and i remember most electronic stuff when i was a kid was ‘Made in Taiwan’ … if you came over to play with my dogs i might have asked you if you were Japanese as they are Akitas … or if they are popular in Taiwan … do you know any Taiwanese restaurants nearby … is the food very different to China … any special dishes that are typically Taiwanese … etc
OrganizationFun2140@reddit
Wondering how old you, and the people who talked to you, are? My impression is that lots of younger people are very into Korean pop culture and/or Japanese anime, and probably don’t know much about Taiwan. Don’t take it personally as it reflects on their shortcomings, not yours. As a bit of a geopolitics nerd, I’d be delighted to get to know someone from Taiwan.
skynet2k26@reddit
Seriously, there's a lot of single middle aged losers obsessed with kpop and anime. Kids can't even go to an anime convention cause of all the middle aged weirdos dressed up as Goku or a pokemon lol
ItsUs-YouKnow-Us@reddit
We are used to buying your dodgy products. We’ve learned to not get too attached as we know you’ll let us down.
skynet2k26@reddit
Taiwan makes good products, it's your Chinese made phone that's dodgy lol
Beginning-Action208@reddit
Every single British person I've ever talked to about Taiwan thinks I'm talking about Thailand. They really are supremely ignorant about pretty much the whole of Asia
skynet2k26@reddit
It's British TV, they make it look like Pakistan is and Indians are the only Asians. Like the bbc Asian network, never heard a Taiwanese, japanese, Chinese wtv on it
skynet2k26@reddit
Your lucky being Taiwanese, I pretend I'm Taiwanese when people ask me anything I Japanese because I don't care about their anime/Japan obsessions lol your also lucky you don't know me I'd be asking you do you about Jimmy yu movies lol 😂
skynet2k26@reddit
When they realise your not white and don't drink German beer or eat Indian curries while yelling ENGULANDDDDDDDD, they go very quiet lol
plasticface2@reddit
Get new friends.
NewtTrick@reddit
If you say you’re from the Republic of China most Brits would assume you’re from the PRC, and you could have a nice chat and put them right.
FatMug3000@reddit
Who are these brits ? Seriously if that’s true tell them to fuck off
cinematic_novel@reddit
I find Taiwan extremely fascinating and interesting, for historic and geopolitical reasons. Would be my favourite destination in Asia. That said, yes British people can be extremely shallow. Just like people anywhere in the world. I got similar treatment from people of various nationalities
Superb-Coyote-8608@reddit
My guess is they wanted to use a Japanese or Korean person to get more in to the culture or anime K-pop or whatever.
They assume you can't help them with that because you are not from there.
jumpinjackflash10@reddit
Most people in Britain know next to nothing about Taiwan, and probably don't want to appear ignorant, so don't know what to say next..there's nothing against you or your country..just no real frame of reference..like others have said Japanese and Korean culture is of alot of interest here, and they don't know what to ask about next
EUskeptik@reddit
It’s because most British people know less than nothing about geopolitics.
Less than nothing? Because most of what they think they know is wrong.
Please forgive their ignorance. You are most welcome here in Britain! 😁👍
-oo-
Extension-Race-8027@reddit
I used to work in a hotel. There was a maintenance guy from the Philippines and every time one of the cleaners spoke to him, she mentioned that her daughter went to Belize. She, like lots of others have no idea where anything is! 😂
VespasianusAugustus@reddit
We avoid you because we want that +1000 social credit
Desperate_Ad6940@reddit
Racism
Rasples1998@reddit
It's like saying you're from Kiribati; nobody knows where it is or anything about it. I do; but the majority of our uneducated cockwomble of a population isn't like me. A lot of people I know actually confuse it with Thailand. Thai, tai. Easy mistake. I even know some people who catch a flight from Birmingham to Taiwan expecting to find Thai ladyboys.
It's not your fault; it's ours. We're dumb so please forgive the ignorance. Just keep looking and you'll find people who know the difference and are educated more on geography and history. Even rarer is finding someone who knows Taiwan is the real china. -50 citizen score
Fun_Gas_7777@reddit
Probably, they know nothing about it
anchoredwunderlust@reddit
Sound like people who fetishise Japan and Korea and you are actually lucky to keep your peace
pantyperverted@reddit
Were you made there?
doesgodliveinjupiter@reddit
It’s just classic racial British branding 😂 they all do it ! I’m from Portugal and they always mention ronaldoooo nandoooos pastel de nata preggooo and albufeira 😂 it’s just a thing they do ! But if I mention I’m actually Angolan there’s no conversation 😂 they just like to sound relatable and smart when they can and when they can’t it’s straight silence and like ok let’s move on to something else because generally they’re not interested in getting to know about a country they have no interest in !
Realistic-River-1941@reddit
What, they don't mention the oldest treaty and Porto's greatest export (unless you are speaking to the Bishop of Norwich)?
EasyPriority8724@reddit
How do you feel about Chinese threatning to invade?
Realistic-River-1941@reddit
We don't know much about Taiwan. Japan has perverted salarymen, Godzilla and war criminals; Korea has crazy dictators and a mysterious recent outbreak of British takeaways which probably don't serve what we think they eat over there. But Taiwan is... a label saying where something was made, and odd names in international organisations.
nickgardia@reddit
Because they don’t know anything about Taiwan, other than maybe the fact China disputes its existence.
zwifter11@reddit
One reason why, is because British people don’t know anything about Taiwan. And therefore don’t know what to ask or talk about?
PelicanCanNew@reddit
I’ve been to Taipei, and one of my favourite shows is Taiwanese (Someday or One Day). If I saw you and I was feeling sociable I’d have plenty to chat about, I think you just met rude people or clueless or slightly awkward people. We have a lot of all kinds here, I do my best to avoid being rude but I can occasionally be clueless and often slightly awkward. So don’t take it personally, you’ve just not yet met people you can click with.
ArrowedKnee@reddit
Adding another voice to the choir that there's no negative view of Taiwan or the Taiwanese in the UK, if anyone has any opinion on it it'd be positive views from the more well-travelled. But I don't know of many people who've been there at all.
20guvadayman@reddit
Have you met Tommy Robinson or Nigel Farage yet?
doofenshmirtzd59@reddit
Can I be your friend? 😄 I’m based in UK too! I have two great Taiwanese friends from uni almost a decade ago & still keep in touch. Most of these people are riding on the kpop hype & some kind of weaboo probably. They see east asians as a means to fulfill their fantasy. Try to ignore them, and go about you day
Feeling-Medium-7856@reddit
They probably just don't know anything about the place, whereas Japan and Korea are extremely popular culturally, particularly with younger generations. It's not a political view, and I suspect some just don't want to seem ignorant.
ieatyoshis@reddit
I would love to visit Taiwan! I would certainly be far more interested in speaking to someone from Taiwan than Japan, mainland China, or Korea. A part of my reason for that - I’ve never met anyone from Taiwan - is also the reason people don’t keep speaking to you - they know nothing about Taiwan.
In fact, only my politically-inclined friends know anything about Taiwan - and even then, mostly only the geopolitical situation, which I doubt is a particularly fun conversation.
A decent chunk of people don’t even know what Taiwan is. I would wager that these people are just a bit socially awkward and don’t know how to continue a conversation about something they know little about.
Unfair_Procedure_944@reddit
I think their responses explain their motivations, they’re not interested in making friends with you, they’re fishing for a token Japanese/Korean friend. Pretty ignorant and borderline racist tbh, I’m sorry you have to deal with that.
Individual_Ad_974@reddit
Personally I find it quite rude if people do that to you but I think it’s because Japanese and Korean culture are so much a part of the younger generations lifestyle these days, the Japanese and Korean culture is pushed quite forcefully everywhere you go, I’m in my 50’s and even I could tell you more about Japan and Korea than I ever thought I would know in my lifetime. Unfortunately the people of Taiwan haven’t been as forceful in pushing their culture and very very few people probably know anything about your country or your people. It is rude of people to ignore you though, says more about them than you
glitchwabble@reddit
Because the watches are poor quality.
AdOdd521@reddit
Sounds like basic fetishisation to me: They want a Japanese or Korean person, and when you're not they don't care.
I'd say it's pretty rude/weird of them to approach you in the first place if they're like that.
Sad_Refrigerator_787@reddit
You are definitely not the only one. I am from Singapore but somehow the conversations always skew towards how they would like to travel to Thailand again. It is ok though, at least both Singapore and Thailand (as well as many other SE Asian countries) uses Pandan in our food, so I start talking about how I want to go back home and bake a pandan cake.
defyheavenvenerable@reddit
What could they say to you about Taiwan?
MeatGayzer69@reddit
Taiwan > Japan > Korea.
neb12345@reddit
I would say this quite rude, some people have an unhealthy obsession with japan/ Korea, Ill be honest you wouldn’t want to talk to these people anyway. Taiwanese culture hasn’t made much of an impact in the uk like Korea and japan to explain why theres v few Taiwian stans.
Acrobatic_Extent_360@reddit
I assume most people have only vague ideas about Taiwan. It definitely has less cultural influence than South Korea or Japan.
Sweaty_Ear_9247@reddit
Maybe the people reacting badly are young? If so, please don't worry. Most young people I know (my nephews are all under 20 years old) don't know how to reply to anything you tell them, so it's not a problem with you.
Also, many people just have "brain freeze". You are not doing anything wrong. Just keep going! Good luck, and welcome to the UK! 😊✌🏻
WhiskyBrisky@reddit
Most british people probably couldn't point to Taiwan on a map or tell you anything about it. They don't ask any questions about it because they don't want to embarrass themselves
Delicious-Cut-7911@reddit
It sounds like you are at college mixing with very young people. They are immature , don't take it to heart. Socialise outside of your work/study environment. Others couldn't care less about which Country you're from.
stargateheaven@reddit
I don’t think the problem is that you are from Taiwan but i guess those people were looking for something else. And yes it is rude
Nozza-D@reddit
The one thing I've learned is that many people in the UK ask "where are you from?" because they really have no other conversation in them. And as someone else said, they'll have the most random conversation/monologue about a region-adjacent country as they have nothing or know nothing about the country you're from. That's it.
Don't take it personal, even though I know it can feel disappointing or annoying. As a rule, I never ask, personally, I think it's rude to ask someone I've just met where they're from when there are a hundred other things we could converse about. Usually if I do ask, I really want to know about the country/place and culture.
windfujin@reddit
Yes it is rude.
But It is entirely that the people you are referring to you have begun talking to you ONLY because they thought you were Korean or Japanese or whatever. It has absolutely nothing to with Taiwan. They didnt talk to you because they wanted to get to know YOU or any other country that they werent specifically aiming for.
To be precise what is rude here is their intention of only wanting to talk to people they want to get something out of.
Honest as a Korean ethic myself id say they are rude for coming up to me to talk to me just because I look Korean. Fuck off, if you want a language buddy go find them somewhere else. Im not a zoo animal for you to engage with.
forza_125@reddit
Unless you are interacting with 14-year-olds, I find this very hard to believe.
British adults will have zero opinion on whether you are from Taiwan, wouldn't bang on about Japan or Korea when you say you are from Taiwan, and certainly wouldn't stop talking to you because of it.
ShortGuitar7207@reddit
As am average Brit, I knew nothing about Taiwan until I went to Taipei for work. I find the history and precarious nature of Taiwan fascinating. You have some education to do on the rest of us! Maybe start with TSMC and why it’s crucial to everything they do.
DanBurnNotice@reddit
Boba is Taiwanese. Get them to talk about that.
SpectralDinosaur@reddit
Simple answer is they don't care about Taiwan. Why would they ask you about it? On the other hand, both Japan and South Korea have a pretty big cultural impact here these days.
Hokuten001@reddit
Sounds like they are just disappointed Weebs / Kweebs.
Gullible_fool_99@reddit
No idea. Many people don't really 'get' Taiwan or know much about it. Personally I am very impressed with how your country has been able to develop and succeed socially and commercially while also transitioning from a one party state under martial law to a progressive democracy with standards to rival many other countries that have consistently had more external support.
I agree that people 'should' be educated and engage in conversation and learn more - but some just have no interest in doing so.
Busy_Fudge4897@reddit
Because British people fetishize/worship Japanese and Korean culture because of their soft power.
I also experienced this as a British person living in Japan. I got more positive responses telling people I was from Britain than my eastern European friends.
Anyway Taiwan is a great place. I hope you find better people.
Quaser_8386@reddit
I've been to Taiwan, though many years ago on business.
I fully respect that Taiwan doesn't want to be under Chinese rule.
Taiwanese people seem to be very entrepreneurial, and are great innovators. They were unfailingly friendly and polite to me during my visit.
I have a degree in Social Science, so I am always interested in how different societies operate and change over time, so I also talk to Koreans, Japanese, and Chinese people whenever I can.
Australians and NZ'ers not so much.
Technical-Fox-5171@reddit
It's not disappointment. The conversation probably just has nowhere else to go. Small talk only goes so far when (no disrespect) most Brits don't know much about Taiwan and have no cutural reference points to make.
GaldrickHammerson@reddit
To be honest, the really weird thing is that they're approaching you randomly to ask if you're from somewhere specifically.
These people are being werid. You wouldn't approach a person with a bulb of garlic to ask if they're french. You wouldn't approach a potato salesman to ask if they're irish. They're looking at your appearance and hoping you might be someone they can decorate themselves with to show off their unusual fascination with a specific culture.
clan_kusunagi@reddit
You’re not one of the popular East Asian countries. Japan and SKorea have soft power influence. People are fickle. Saying Taiwan to these ppl would be the same if you said Singapore, Malaysia, Etc
KittyMBunny@reddit
It could be because thet can't think of anything to say and they're trying not to be rude.
However, they are just probably just obsessed with Japan and K-pop right now as both are popular on social media.
However this Brit would love to learn about Taiwan.
Kazzothead@reddit
I think its as other have said because a lot of Brits maybe uncertain to where and what Taiwan is. Sadly this will probably change in a couple of years when China invades. :(
jellomatic@reddit
Because they're dicks. You should count yourself lucky you're not from Japan or Korea because then the conversation would continue.
Spare_Sir9167@reddit
So what's your thoughts about China? I think that would be my opener.
Christine4321@reddit
Youre absolutely right that its simply they havent a clue what to say about Taiwan, so lets move the conversation on to something else. Its purely politeness, like talking about the weather. Next time, anticipate the 😬 move on response, and immediately ask where they are from. People are very chatty about themselves generally, so you lead.
Proof_Cat_6742@reddit
They're dicks. Taiwan's plight is obvious to literally anyone. Chinese fucking Taiwan, indeed.
BrentfordFC21@reddit
That is very strange. Sorry you experienced this.
I think the key point is people mistaking you for being Korean or Japanese. In the UK we have people who are obsessed with Korean and/or Japanese culture, and they probably thought they hit the jackpot where they can ask an actual Korean / Japanese person about their country or favourite K pop band etc.
When it turns out that you’re not Korean or Japanese, they are disappointed and probably feel like you don’t have the answers for them.
This is of course not justified at all and in my opinion not only fetishising Korean and Japanese cultures, but being rude to you.
systemisrigged@reddit
No one in the UK will ignore you or treat you badly because you’re from Taiwan. This is you overthinking things - just my opinion
Sxn747Strangers@reddit
I can assure you we’re not all like that and I’m sure you just caught a bad batch.
I certainly do not know anyone who would match these type of people.
dial424689@reddit
I’m sorry you’ve experienced this, my guess would be ignorance and embarrassment on their part. It’s odd to me to walk up to someone and guess what country they’re from, and even more so to then act weird when you get it wrong.
Anyway, as a fan of both Jerry Li and Sunset Rollercoaster (I think I found both by watching a Taiwanese series on Netflix), people are missing out if they’re not interested in Taiwanese culture.
Acceptable_End7160@reddit
I wouldn’t take it personally, it’s more than just a case of knowing very little about Taiwan. Your average Brit will know next to nothing about Taiwan besides what they see on the news about China’s claims to Taiwan, the jets intimidating people on your homeland and for the older generation, the place where everything was made in the 1970s and 80s.
I once upon a time was in a very similar situation, not knowing anything about Taiwan. But after years of living in mainland China, reading history books and taking courses in world politics, I eventually did an entire PhD dissertation that was related to Taiwan’s politics. If I bumped into a Taiwanese person here in the UK I’d never shut up with all the questions and things I’d want to talk about lol.
As some others have alluded to, a lot just comes down to familiarity. People simply have more to say about Japanese anime, Squid Game in Korea etc. A former colleague of mine was from The Gambia, and whenever we went to bars back in the USA, people had more to say and ask about where I was from than my colleague.
If someone has no interest in who you are and where you’re from, move on and don’t look back. Life is too short to be reading too much into these types of things. The time will come you’ll bump into people who have much more to say and have an interest in you personally and Taiwan.
amotherofcats@reddit
People in UK generally don't know anything about Taiwan. You don't often meet people from Taiwan, so they don't know what to say to you. Only last week I met a lady from Taiwan and she was really excited because I said I had been to Taipei and I talked about it. I only went there by chance for a Taekwondo competition, it wasn't a chosen holiday destination but I loved it. Before I went, I had no idea what it would be like.
Illustrious-Ad1074@reddit
We generally have little to no knowledge of Taiwan is all! There has been no cultural connection in the media or news on Taiwan except that China wants to claim it. Perhaps people feel this is too heavy a subject to talk about with a stranger so are left speechless? There is certainly no animosity. It comes down to mastering the art of conversation.
Jazzlike_Effort_8536@reddit
Two possibilities occur to me. Firstly, being Japanese myself, it used to be a source of mainly racist comments, but in recent years has become strangely sexualised. My teenage daughter has had some of the most disgusting comments levelled at her from men. So that is no doubt a factor. Secondly, I will also have many conversations about people wanting to visit Japan, it’s their dream holiday etc…… I think travel programmes have done a lot to promote it. However generally the British public will be less knowledgeable about Taiwan so will either change the subject or occasionally ignorantly assume that talking about a different country in the same vague part of the world is just as good, because ya know we all look the same /s
SleipnirSolid@reddit
Aaw I'm sorry this happened to you man.
People are spot on here though that Brits don't know much about Taiwan.
Personally I love talking to foreigners cos I like hearing about their culture, politics, history, language, geography, etc.
If you met me I'd be asking where abouts in Taiwan, the differences between traditional and simplified Chinese, what dialects of Chinese Taiwan has, where you've traveled, etc.
My best friends in 6th form college were all Main Landers cos we always had something to talk about!!
Blairite_PissArtist@reddit
Because the Taiwanese don't age well, 'n that. You never never sort of see a 35 year old one.
AwTomorrow@reddit
不好意思，其實那些英國人可能只是愛日韓的宅男/女。他們應該不太了解台灣也覺得沒感興趣。
歡迎英國！希望你在未來會有更好的經驗。
Tijai@reddit
I don't think where you are from is the issue.
Cloudinthesilver@reddit
It’s because British don’t really have any frame of reference for Taiwan. Asia is china, Japan, India. And if you’ve done a gap year - Thailand.
AwTomorrow@reddit
Taiwan is easy to slot into that - it’s Other China
Musk-mystic@reddit
Yes. Because they don’t know about Taiwan as much as Japan or Korea
randomscot21@reddit
Curious as to how many people have done this to you ?
Ms_Zarabeth_Spock@reddit
I'm sorry you've had this experience. If someone told me that they came from Taiwan, I would be very interested. (I love hearing people's stories.) I'd be asking about the situation with China to be polite, but then quickly moving on to discussions about the differences in culture and cuisine and how much I enjoyed the film Eat Drink Man Woman!
Mikeymcmoose@reddit
I love Taiwan ! I’d be so excited to come across a Taiwanese person in London.
Capital-Ad6221@reddit
Taiwan is a Country (regardless of what Pooh-bear and his thugs say) 🇬🇧🤝🇹🇼
Independent-Bed-4644@reddit
I’ve never met anyone from Taiwan, but I don’t go around asking people where they come either.
mauvebirdie@reddit
I can assure you that the average Brit knows nothing about Taiwan so they probably feel awkward that they don't have anything to say about your home country. It's likely not personal even if it feels that way
richardhod@reddit
Because they are embarrassed by their mistake and would rather just pretend you didn't exist!
KERNALKURTS@reddit
I’d take you at face value regardless of where you’re from, what you turn out to be like after is different, that goes for everyone, maybe you are coming in strong, might out folk off, try pubs or hey are more forgiving environments.
EasilyExiledDinosaur@reddit
Tbh most english people are probably so uneducated on asia that they think "Taiwan? Isn't that the funny place that's part of china?" And generally Japan and korea are seen as more "trendy"
User-1967@reddit
Some British people are shallow, if they stop talking to you, you don’t want them in your life anyway, find friends who value you for who you are. On a different note, Don’t you have enormous spiders in Taiwan?
No_Beautiful_8647@reddit
Taiwan, for historical reasons, has always had to keep a low profile. Hence, it’s relative unimportance in all things Asia.
TeHNeutral@reddit
They just sound like weird people if they're actually saying those things verbatim
GarageIndependent114@reddit
They want to talk to you about Japan or Korea which are "fun" places for them. They don't want to discuss Taiwan as they aren't interested in it.
If they get your country wrong they risk looking racist. Westerners are very worried about looking racist and British people don't like talking to people when they are embarrassed because of the culture.
Taiwan is considered a part of China by some people but it is a separate country. This means that some foreigners are frightened of getting into political debates when you mention the country just as they might be with Ireland or Cyprus or the Middle East.
Also, the UK used to own Hong Kong which is near China and maybe Taiwan reminds British people of that.
lunisheep@reddit
In my opion that is very rude/shows very little knowledge of places outside of the UK. For one, in my opinion, its rude (maybe even a little racist?) to ask whether you're from a specific country when you dont know the answer, it can also cause significant conflict if it were two nations that are opposed to each other, so they obviously dont know much about other countries generally! Secondly, if someone did ask that question, and they were wrong, thats a great conversation point. They could take that opportunity to learn more, but they havent, which again says much about their character and what they are interested in.
On a more personal note, I lived in South Korea, visited Japan multiple times, but Taiwan was very much my favourite country to visit! I absolutely loved the very short time i had there (Other than the heat, i am not good in humid weather!)
No-Meeting-7955@reddit
Chat GPT has its limitations bot
MixPlus@reddit
I would be interested. I know a little bit about the history of Taiwan and its current political situation. I am also a big tea fan and know that some of the best Oolongs come from Taiwan.
GoblinTatties@reddit
They sound like idiots/teenagers/otakus.
I travelled to Taiwan a few years ago for about a month and I absolutely LOVED taiwan and Taiwanese people. I was amazed how friendly people were. I was there to go hiking and anytime I walked along the road someone would stop and offer me a lift. That would rarely happen here. Some of the best food I've ever had was in Taiwan.
But most people here know nothing about Taiwan, and every country has idiots. Please ignore them and don't let them spoil your life here.
Feersum_endjjinn@reddit
Yeah there's SO much culture from japan/korea here right now. People are really into learning those languages and probably having Japanese Korean friends and wanting to travel there. Very few people are interested in learning madarin/han Chinese. And many people are ignorant of nations cultures, so don't really have an interest in taiwan/China as much. Really don't take it personally, its not personal.
wtf_amirite@reddit
Ignore all the ignorant and awful replies in here now.
I’m British and I’m currently in Taiwan. It’s a lovely country with lovely people.
I wish we could meet more Taiwanese people in the UK.
platinumxperience@reddit
well they probably don't like pineaple cake
vengarlof@reddit
Probably nothing to do with the fact your from Taiwan and more likely due to you being boring
FudgeVillas@reddit
Konnichi wa friend.
BoutiqueKymX2account@reddit
Okay, you’re definitely really young and the people you are talking to and no older than 24 this is not the definition of the general public at all we have no problem with any country let alone Taiwan also anyone over the age of 24 doesn’t care about K-pop or Korean trends. You’ll be fine OP 🤍
jayphelps57@reddit
Loads of excellent motorcycle parts are made in Taiwan! I’m delighted they do that 🤩
Independent_Smile_20@reddit
What else do you want them to say ? "They could ask me about taiwan" , okay I guess they could but they don't have to and they might not particularly want to? ... theres nothing wrong with that?, They could ask you about your favourite ice cream, but ....
Fatal-Eggs2024@reddit
I would love it if you replied, “I’m from Taiwan, where ….” And share your fav Taiwan fact! And like “Home of some of the best food in the world but everybody only seems to know about bubble tea!”
Ok-Opening9653@reddit
Don’t worry about it I get the eye roll when I say where I am from for the past 25 years just ignore it
Mountain_Strategy342@reddit
No idea. Ask them perhaps.
papayametallica@reddit
Suggest you expand the group of people you talk to
TattieMafia@reddit
They probably wanted to spam you with questions about moving to Japan or Korea. You are better off not talking to them. Taiwan has no negative associations as far as I am aware. The only thing I know about Taiwan is that Juifen was the inspiration for Spirited Away.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/exploring-the-magic-of-taiwans-spirited-away-city
mishimomo@reddit
You don't want to talk to these people anyway!
SpinMeADog@reddit
can probably be considered rude, think it might also be general awkwardness. there's probably a bunch of people here who have never even heard of taiwan, and if they have, they probably know nothing about it to continue the conversation with. they might also feel guilty about assuming your country of origin based on appearance?
Colly_Mac@reddit
Oh, I'm really sorry you've had that experience. It is rude and definitely not the right way to have conversation/interact with a new person.
I'd like to think it's partly their nervousness about continuing the conversation. Brits aren't generally the most outgoing. Maybe they started the conversation thinking they could rely on some of their knowledge about Japan/Korea and then panicked when they realize they don't know anything about Taiwan. Of course they should just have asked - I personally love meeting new people with different experiences/backgrounds etc,
Intrepid_Bobcat_2931@reddit
As mentioned, people normally have a lot of thoughts about your neighboring countries, but very little on Taiwan. The main and probably _only_ association most people will have with Taiwan is computer chip production, due to media reports about nvidia and the like - literally no other knowledge in terms of culture, tradition, daily life.
maceion@reddit
Taiwan lives large in my memory from business visits in 1970s. A very courtious and friendly folk.
GlastoKhole@reddit
Big up Taiwan, you guys make the worlds chips, stand up to china and made some cool movies. Some people are idiots in the uk ignore them they’re too stupid to be classed as rude.
Gold-Collection2636@reddit
There's a lot of people here who almost fetishize Japan, they're probably just disappointed you can't be their token Japanese friend to prove it isn't a weird obsession
The_Flurr@reddit
Charitable interpretation.
Chances are they want a Japanese friend who they can fetishise and pseudo-experience being Japanese through them.
DeirdreBarstool@reddit
For what it’s worth, I am from the UK and have been to your country. It was one of my favourite trips. The night markets was the best in the world and the people were so welcoming and friendly.
Exact_Setting9562@reddit
Those people sound very odd.
LongShotE81@reddit
I can't imagine anyone older than about 12 saying either of those things. How old are you OP?
Jiminyfingers@reddit
Honestly sounds like you are talking to odd people
FrauAmarylis@reddit
We moved to London a year ago and yes we do have native British people in central London. We do not find British people to be very nice. We had one instance with our pet where people were nice and helpful, which was nice, but sadly it was an anomaly.
Now that I have been here a year, some of the British acquaintances I have known for a year are warming up to me.
But yesterday we went to an event and someone gave me a gift. And, surprise- it wasn’t a Brit.
I recommend getting to know other immigrants and expats (We are expats because we are here on a temporary visa and exempt from taxes, etc).
Try the meetup app hiking groups and the facebook groups for expats living in the UK.
AreaMiserable9187@reddit
I grew up in the North West of England. My dad went down to London and an Australian guy asked him for the time (this was way before smartphones) and was very surprised my dad gave him the time. London is notoriously unfriendly, it's a running joke in the UK. You don't make eye contact on the Tube but come up north, and we'll talk your ear off.
Pandora_Puddleduck@reddit
Pretty much like many capital cities. Paris is the same as is Rome it's just a "thing"
Pandora_Puddleduck@reddit
Getting a gift from your boss for being poorly is pretty odd and in all my years on this planet nope never happened and if it did I'd be a bit wary of his motives like mate your my boss not a friend what's going on?
infieldcookie@reddit
People just keep to themselves more in London than elsewhere, but they will help you out if you need help. I feel like I interact with friendly Londoners all the time.
(And I agree with that persons boss that I wouldn’t want all of my colleagues knowing my medical business! But maybe that’s why I prefer London to the town I grew up in where you couldn’t go anywhere without people knowing what you were up to.)
If you want more outwardly friendly people then you want to look in smaller cities/towns imo.
Available-Ear7374@reddit
London isn't UK, there's quite a divide.
Dennyisthepisslord@reddit
Probably because they want to talk to you about some Japanese/Korean pop culture they have a interest in. Other than stuff having made in Taiwan and Chinese aggression towards wanting it back the average person knows very little about Taiwan so there's no social lubricant that way
RoutineClaim6630@reddit
It's probably a lack of social skills on their part. Having a chat with a stranger requires some skill and it's a dying art due to technology. Another reason is that they are simply not interested in you, or anyone else. Keep looking, I'm sure there are some chatty folks out there still.
abyssal-isopod86@reddit
Because rose people are against immigrants.
alderhill@reddit
They think 'all Asians same'. But from my point of view, you dodged a bullet with these losers. They only wanted you as a convenient tool or accessory or token friend, not to learn about you. But also, frankly, just a lot of people don't know much about Taiwan.
hallerz87@reddit
They spoke to you on the off chance you were from the country that was of use to them e.g., if they're learning Korean, then finding someone to speak Korean with would be useful. You weren't of use to them so they moved on. Don't take it personally.
Bushdr78@reddit
I have a friend from Taiwan he's a school teacher and super friendly
Mental_Body_5496@reddit
Yes, I think part of it is. We don't know much about Taiwan. I have Taiwanese friend. So I know a little more from what she posts on Facebook ecetera, however, the general population won't know anything or even that it exists separate to China, which I know is a contentious issue. Most people would only see it on products made in Taiwan. Maybe and not even associate it with chinese taipei.
finniruse@reddit
So how about them microchips huh. China sucks, amirite.
Wasps_are_bastards@reddit
It’s because they’re complete weirdos who don’t want a friend, they want someone to brag about/sleep with. I can’t imagine why someone would stop talking to you if you said you’re from Taiwan if they genuinely want a friend.
TheGeordieGal@reddit
I have no idea why anyone would do that and I don't know anyone who would! Sounds like you've just come across a few idiots. I'd say maybe it's an age thing and I'm too old to care but I volunteer with young people and I don't know any who would behave like that - especially saying they want a friend from a specific country.
VisibleDepth1231@reddit
I'm thinking this might be an age thing not in the sense of the rudeness exactly but the being disappointed OP isn't Japanese or Korean. I feel like manga and K-Pop have made Japanese and Korean culture really popular with millennials and Gen Z.
I could see someone younger being excited about potentially meeting someone Japanese or Korean they could discuss these interests with and then suddenly realising when OP answers that their question was potentially racist/ offensive and being awkward because they don't know how to move the conversation on from there.
OP I really wouldn't worry about this, it's definitely a them problem not you. I think it's probably more that they were excited by the possibility of you being Japanese or Korean than that they're actively upset you're Taiwanese, so if you wanted you could maybe try offering up an interesting fact about Taiwan to give them a way back into a friendly conversation. Honestly most British people know next to nothing about Taiwan so they may just not know what to say and a good person will be interested to learn about somewhere new. But you'd be more than fine just thinking 'well they were weird and a bit rude' and shrugging it off. I'm glad you're generally enjoying living here and not too many of us have been super weird!
londongas@reddit
They are just rude and fetishing Japanese or Korean culture , good they don't waste anymore of your time
Phoenixian_Majesty@reddit
People are a bit weird. Weebs and Kpop stans maybe? But as a weeb, if I met a friend from Taiwan, I wouldn't ghost them for being not-anime enough, so maybe not...
Yeah. Some people just suck. Be glad you're not stuck being their little fetish object I say.
Norman_debris@reddit
In what context is this happening?
Elderberry_Economy@reddit
I dont know if this offensive or not, but is Taiwan where Chinas exiled government is/was?
howard499@reddit
Whether it is Taiwan, Singapore, or Hong Kong, they are all stumped for anything to say. So they say nothing. If Japan then blah-blah their next trip soon. If Korea, then K-pop, maybe. Many Brits are insular, the ones who travel beyond Europe, less or not so.
Ragemonk7@reddit
its the Netflix effect lol people get enamoured with a culture after watching the media i personally am interested in japan and korea because i watch the shows and movies, personally i would also be curious about taiwan but thats where the special interest comes from
Quick_Dot_9660@reddit
My guess is that they feel awkward because they've just assumed you're from 'insert asian country they have most familiarity with' and feel bad that they have done a racism by assuming you look like you're from another country.
Erwin_Pommel@reddit
That sounds like personal issues on their part, I've never met anyone who particularly has any opinion on Taiwan at all. Exposure Bias aside, this sounds like you just got very unlucky with people looking for token ethnicities.
terryjuicelawson@reddit
Probably lack of anything to say rather than being deliberately offensive, they can't launch into a conversation about K-pop or anime or whatever.
carnivalist64@reddit
Maybe they don't understand Taiwanese Mandarin?
bananabastard@reddit
They might not have known anything about Taiwan, so they kept quiet because they felt stupid.
infieldcookie@reddit
This behaviour sounds so odd, where are people asking you this? Are these teenagers/uni students or random adults in public?
NovelShelter7489@reddit
Because they are ignorant. I certainly wouldn't stop talking to anyone, even if they're from hell! Welcome to Britain 😆
ju1ce8@reddit
Their loss. As a Brit I personally would enjoy making a new Taiwanese friend.
SadTree6038@reddit
Yep, me too 👍
Subtifuge@reddit
People are just a bit weird in general, personally, I would do as you say, ask you how to say basic greetings or sayings in Taiwianese, or what is most popular food-wise (so I can learn to make new foods) , or movie-wise (you guys make some wicked Horror movies) then what culture you share, and in what way you are different to China (I know that one might seem odd, but you can learn alot about what people share and what differs them when they are intwinded yet divergent cultures)
That being said, in the UK I am likely a minority; people tend to like to keep to themselves or might fetish certain regional peoples, personally love meeting people from places I have not been and learning some basic things but then I have ADHD so am always looking for novel/new things to learn
Sweaty_Sheepherder27@reddit
I suspect they don't really know anything about Taiwan, and / or are approaching the whole interaction based on some poor assumptions on their part.
Don't sweat it, I'm not sure people like this are worth worrying about.
Glad to hear you're enjoying your time here aside from this!
FoundationOk1352@reddit
This! They wanted to know about another country, then got a little embarrassed they'd misidentified you, and ended the interaction. The awkwardness is because they're afraid of being racist in terms of being unable to identify different Asians, i think.
Taiwanese people are the best! Down to Earth, funny and fun. Please come to Ireland more, I miss you at our language school!
DifferentSeason6998@reddit
How old are you? Seems like your crowd of folks love anime and k pop.
Syn_33@reddit
Are you exclusively talking to 10-16 year olds?
AnneKnightley@reddit
I’m sorry people have been so rude (and frankly xenophobic) to you, it’s not acceptable at all. There’s no general bad feeling towards Taiwan here, it’s more likely those people who approached you asking if you’re from a specific country are being weird and fetishising people from those countries.
spicyzsurviving@reddit
That’s you unfortunately finding a select bunch of weirdos. That’s not a typical reaction.
Infinite_Crow_3706@reddit
Made up story follows the typical karma farming pattern of ‘why am I a victim here’
Opening_Succotash_95@reddit
It sounds like those individual people you spoke to have fetishised Japanese or Korean pop culture and thought you would be part of that for them. They're the weird ones.
Successful-Grand-549@reddit
I have no real knowledge of Taiwan so would be interested in hearing more about it, not dismissing you because I didn't know about it
holdingtea@reddit
Oof I don't know. Sounds like you've just met a few unfortunate awkward ones.
It could be because they don't know much about Taiwan. Japan and s.Korea (more recently) have quite big media and are generally seen very positively here too.
walkwithoutrhyme@reddit
If this happens a lot, I would start giving them a conversation hook. Something like...
"Not as popular a tourist destination at Japan perhaps, but we have ......... with the added bonus that you can ....... and still......... so there's that."
Fill in the blanks with your favourite facts about your country.
whatsgoingon350@reddit
Its extremely rude if they do that just walk away from them they ain't worth your time.
MadMuffinMan117@reddit
Its probably just because people like japan and dont know anything about taiwan. Sorry. Taiwan is #1 for me. If it makes you feel better i can ask about taiwan
RedPlasticDog@reddit
In general few people will have any feelings one way or other for Taiwan (sorry)
Most peoples knowledge will start and end with a “made in Taiwan” logo on a cheap plastic thing.
Personally I’d be happy to chat, was lucky enough to visit Taipei a few years ago fans have fond memories. Hoping to return at some point and explore more of the island.
G30fff@reddit
Yes it's probably that they don't know much about Taiwan and are too dimwitted to progress the conversation through that obstacle with grace. It is definitely ignorant and a bit rude but they probably aren't intending to be, I'm just guessing these people aren't our best or brightest.
excitedbynaps@reddit
Sorry to hear that people sre being rude to you just because of where you're from!
The ONLY thing I can think of is that maybe people don't know anything about Taiwan? (I personally didn't know anything about it until my friend moved there a few years ago). But honestly that's no excuse!
awks-orcs@reddit
I must apologise firstly because I'm English, its what we do, but mainly because we don't know much about Taiwan at all. The most I know is China wants you because of your minerals and most of the other western countries are keen for you to be free. For the same reason. Your country is not in the mainstream media much therefore we don't know much about it.
I personally would love to know more about your culture and places of interest. It can't be possible that you have T-Pop is it?? What is your capital city called? What's your national dish?? What is the most annoying thing about Taiwan??
lerpo@reddit
I read that as "Taliban" at first when glancing
disper@reddit
Japan and Korea have better PR than Taiwan, I know many east Asians being one myself growing up in uk and Japanese and South Korea are just seen as cooler than Taiwan and other East Asian countries.
BigManLikeBarey@reddit
Some a rude, some probably don’t know much about that country, if it was me I’ll just ask you about it since it’s the best direction
MeringueComplex5035@reddit
Thats on them, British people feel apathetic to generally positive towards Taiwan, so they were just being weird